Comfortable gathering spaces like the one at the York County church can help retain parishioners and attract new congregants, says Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects’ Todd Grove. “It’s all part of contemporary church these days.”
For 10 months, parishioners at Saint Paul Lutheran Church west of York lost the use of their sanctuary as the adjoining gathering space, which leads into the church, underwent renovations.
Sunday worship, including Christmas services, took place in the fellowship hall at the opposite end of the gathering space.
Early this year, anticipation gave way to excitement. On Feb. 23, parishioners celebrated the finished gathering space, designed by Murphy & Dittenhafer Architects, and finally were able to attend services in the sanctuary again.
Working with a church committee, Architect Todd Grove led M&D’s design for the project, which included renovating offices and creating a library. Architect Ryan Shank assisted Grove during the project design and construction phases. Murphy & Dittenhafer Interior Designer Lisa Clemens played a key role – and chose a variety of colors and fabrics for the soft seating in the gathering space, which houses a welcome center, and designed the attractive glass, lighting, wall finishes, with tile and carpeted floors throughout the project.
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“Everyone was impressed,” Grove says of the reaction to the transformation of the 1960s-era gathering space. He attended the celebration with about 200 parishioners, who toured the space in February - and then, for the first time in months, entered the sanctuary to worship.
“Everybody was just thrilled,” adds Clemens. “The new design fits in so beautifully with the old.”
For a few weeks, everything was back to normal, with the new gathering space adding to the enjoyment of sharing coffee and conversation after services. But in March, parishioners were deprived a second time. The coronavirus had forced the closure of churches and many businesses.
“I can imagine it has a kind of double effect, of not being able to use the space throughout construction, not being able to use the nave,” Grove says. “Then, they’re finally able to move back in, but then the virus struck. I’m sure it was a disappointment.”
Returning to new spaces
The congregation gathered virtually for online worship services and used teleconferencing for Sunday school and Bible study sessions. After more than two months, in-person Sunday services, with social distancing, resumed May 24.
Parishioners, following safety guidelines, again can enjoy their new gathering space, which Clemens calls “very comfortable, user- and family-friendly.”
“We divided the space into numerous small seating areas with lounge furniture, settees, ottomans,” Clemens explains. “Most furniture groups have different chair styles and fabrics. There are bright oranges, brown leather, tweeds. We mixed it up quite a bit.”
She chose pale gray and green for some walls and vivid colors for others. Wood beams suspend pendant lighting, which is interspersed with a slanted wood ceiling that stretches the length of the former 80-foot-long corridor.
“It creates a rhythm and gives nice ambient light,” Clemens notes.
The new library, created by removing walls in the narthex, provides another lounge space where parishioners can sip coffee and look into the sanctuary through large windows.
The Gathering space work was part of a larger renovation/addition project at St. Paul Lutheran which also included the construction of a similar wood-beam canopy over a new covered vehicle drop-off point at the main entrance.
Comfort and fellowship
All that remains to complete the gathering space is adorning the walls with artwork. Providing that finishing touch falls to Frank Dittenhafer, president of the firm, and to Clemens, who previously operated a fine-arts gallery and framing shop.
Clemens intends to take interested parishioners to studios so they can get to know artists and their works. She has identified locations for artwork, not all at eye level, throughout the gathering space. And not everything will be framed and under glass.
“It’s nice to have wood, sculpture, and textile art. It always makes the space more intriguing and fun to be in,” she says.
Grove points out that comfortable gathering spaces can help retain parishioners and attract new congregants.
“When there is nowhere to be before and after services, people tend to get in their cars and leave,” he says. “When there is a comfortable space, seating, coffee and doughnuts, people tend to linger and have fellowship beyond the service itself. It’s all part of contemporary church these days.”
While the coronavirus has altered practices for assembling safely, the door is opening to allow churches to welcome parishioners again. The new space at Saint Paul Lutheran will enhance those renewed gatherings, Grove says.
“It’s going to be just wonderful on Sundays and the rest of the week with all the activities at the church,” he says.
“I can only imagine that everyone is incredibly eager to get back after all that work and time,” Clemens adds.
The memorial’s groundbreaking took place in June, and the dedication is set to take place on November 11, 2024, or Veterans Day.